Fifty Shades Immortal
by MysticFalls Fanfiction
Summary: The final and 4th installment in the FSOS fanfic series. Read through Elena's trial and errors as a vampire and Damon's acceptance of her transition. Amongst the blood, lust, and sex, will these two finally get a happy ending?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: The wait is finally over. The final and fourth installment of the Fifty Shades of Salvatore series is here! Fifty Shades Bloodier ended back in September and I know I kept pushing back the release date for a while. Can't say thank you enough for being incredibly patient with me. Over these past two and half months, I've been contemplating how long this story will be and I still haven't come to the conclusion yet. It will definitely be shorter than FSOS and FSB, but more than five chapters long. This first chapter I put a lot of thinking and emotion into. You'll get to see Elena's point of view from the final chapter of FSB. I listened to "The Other Side" by David Gray while writing this and recommend you check it out. It was featured in an episode of TVD this season. Hope you guys enjoy it and thank you for reading, supporting, and being just the best fans of this fanfic series ever! Make sure to leave your review since they encourage me to write faster and better. **

**If you are happening to stumble upon this story randomly, please go read the three priors stories leading up to this one. The order is Fifty Shades of Salvatore, Through His Eyes (Damon's POV of FSOS), and Fifty Shades Bloodier.**

**Follow me on Twitter at MYSTFALLSFANFIC and FSOSFANSITE. Leave your account names in your reviews so I can follow you guys!**

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CHAPTER 1. INTO THE DARKNESS

One shade of darkness was met by another engulfing black abyss. With no vision she swam and struggled through the dull stream she traveled along. Her body was floating like an out of control raft being slammed against rocks and heavy currents. Every time she reached out to grasp something, anything only emptiness met her hand. She did not welcome this feeling and fought it hard only to be swarmed with a hot flash of pain coursing through her veins. The pit of her stomach flopped, flipped, and turned inside out. Whatever was happening to her wasn't pleasant.

Elena opened her mouth to cry out for help, but with no voice it did nothing of assistance. Even if she were able to speak she wondered if it would do her any good. She was alone. The darkness was the only company she had.

The last memory she had and glued permanently to her brain was horrifying and yet overcome by joy. What she had just went through, what she had just witnessed no person should ever have to deal with. But she had gone through it and she had seen it all. The last bit of hope she held on to let her know all the evil had been lifted off the Earth and her conscious.

Another gust of violent and invisible wind thrashed past her as she huddled in the darkness wondering when she would find light again.

"Elena." The three-syllable name belonging to her whispered loudly, surrounding her and driving her mad. For however long she had been trapped in the unknown, it was the first sound of humanity. She searched for the source, but was only met with the same darkness already surrounding her. Panic was setting in.

A similar chant of her name echoed and she mouthed, "hello" in response. Inside her head she heard her voice, her thoughts, her plea for help, but without a sound she was mute. No one could hear her here, wherever this was. Wrapping her arms tightly around her frail frame, she bowed her head and cried. The feeling of lost hope and standing in the unknown territory she had entered was beyond any emotion she had ever felt. It was new and not welcoming in the least.

Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, she felt her body flying forward. The pain returned and her veins were cold. The fiery flow was gone and now she felt chilled to the bone and numb. She moved rapidly again and her body was spinning like a mad teacup at a child's amusement park. Her mouth hung open urging to let out a terrified scream, but all she could do was mimic the action. Closing her eyes shut, she knew whatever was about to come next wouldn't be pleasant.

A hard surface pushed against her back and more sounds filled her ears. She cringed not knowing what was happening. With her body tense, she opened her eyes slowly only to find a familiar sight. No more darkness, no more unknown. Elena was back where she had last found herself, on the cold grassy patch of land she fell upon. Bouncing up like a spring, she looked around in panic wondering one simple question: _Am I alive? _The answer to that was puzzling. Her body moved like normal and she spoke a simple word out loud only to hear her voice plain as day, but something was off. Her head turned to the right as she saw a figure lying only a few feet away. She got up slowly and walked over to it cautiously.

"Please don't, please." She whispered taking the tiniest steps in the direction of the motionless figure. At first glimpse she felt her knees buckle and she was kneeling on the ground in a river of tears. She saw her face. She saw the life gone behind the glassy eyes that stared up into the night sky. She saw blood staining the chest. She saw a round, dark red object lying helplessly next to the figure. The tears stopped and she breathed in quickly only to find herself rendering exactly what she was seeing. It wasn't her. What she claimed as her dead body laying on the ground was in fact her enemy who had a strikingly similar resemblance. Elena quivered as she understood she was viewing Katherine's dead body and not her own.

"Oh my god." Elena breathed.

Falling back on her heels, she reached out to touch Katherine's body, but was only met with air. Her hand swiped again at her lifeless figure only to find no contact could be made. The shallow breathing and the tears returned. Why couldn't she touch her? Something definitely wasn't right.

Elena rose to her feet and searched for any clue of why she was feeling this void. Not a soul in sight only left her scared and lost. It was like she was in the darkness all over again, but with vision and sound. She didn't know which one was worse. Her legs directed her away from Katherine's dead body and toward the road at the edge of the property. Unable to defy what reason she was heading this way or why she was even walking, she just let herself go. All she wanted was to get away from the scene of the crime, to get away from the place she died or didn't die at after all. This was all so confusing.

Her legs guided her down the edge of the street. Elena mumbled insanity as she walked briskly in a direction she knew was right. As she continued on, she felt a pull like a force dragging her regardless if she wanted to or not. That's when something registered and Elena stopped in her tracks. Looking back over her shoulder, she tried to focus on reality and the present for the first time since she opened her eyes. Her hand shot up to her neck and that's when the haze finally began to clear.

The memories were there, but fuzzy. She had died. She remembered drifting away, but now she was awake and different. It was like she was here, but she wasn't at the same time. The only explanation for what was going on was she was in limbo. Elena was on the other side.

Like a breath of fresh air, she saw a pair of headlights coming toward her. She peered down at her arms, chest, and legs. If she were stuck in this limbo as a ghost or spirit or whatever you wanted to call her form, there was only one way to find out for sure. Taking a step out on to the pavement, she stood in the middle of the lane the car was in. The engine roared louder and louder as she saw the lights grow brighter and brighter. In five seconds she either would be fine or mutilated into many pieces. The car did not hesitate as it came in her direction, but she still squeezed her eyes shut. Her hair whipped in the gust of wind and she peered one eye open only to see a dark street ahead of her. The speeding car was gone and behind her. Elena sighed deeply knowing what her fate was now. She had died and now she was roaming the Earth in a ghostly form, but why? This was her next question.

No longer walking along the edge of the road seeing as nothing could hurt her, she felt a depression take over her. Why hadn't she moved on? Why was she stuck? Why was she here? It didn't make sense. When you die you move on, but she hadn't. Only one other possible solution came to mind and as much as she was sure she wasn't going down that path, Elena had a strange feeling about it. Moving her hands up to her mouth, she got glimpse of the stone on her left hand. Pausing for a moment and ignoring the force pulling her in the direction she was headed, she admired the beauty of the diamond ring encompassing her finger. Tears flooded down her cheeks.

"Damon." She whispered.

Through all her searching and coming to terms with what was going on post death, she had almost forgotten about him. Her head was so consumed with the thought of death and the other side; she hadn't realized what this meant. Damon, her other half and her husband was alone. She had left him. How could she do this to him? Even knowing this now, she could feel the sorrow he endured. She felt the anger, the rage, and the pure horror of her death rising inside him. Wait, she felt this? How could she feel this? In her despair, she felt her emotions, but these other sorrowful, mad emotions were not her own. How was it possible she was feeling someone else's emotions?

Elena froze feeling another moment of enlightenment strike her. Her body back on the property was nowhere to be found. She hadn't realized this then, but the void she was feeling before and still was the disconnection of her body and soul being separated. As she roamed, her body lied elsewhere. This place where it occupied must be with Damon. It was her only explanation for why she could feel him emotions too.

Breaking into a sprint, she knew exactly where to go. The force that had been directing her and nearly dragging her along was her body. Like a magnet, her soul was attracted to it and now she let the nature of the situation take hold. At one point she even felt her feet leave the ground and she was floating. It was beyond bizarre, but all she cared about was being reunited with her other halves: her body and Damon.

Once she caught sight of the Salvatore house, she swore she saw it glow. The emotions were stronger as she grew nearer and the ominous glow absorbing the house only told her she was at the right place. She didn't know what she was about to walk into or what she was about to witness, but she knew she had to keep moving forward.

Her first step inside the house only told her things were bad. She turned the corner to the living room only to be startled by the image of her body lying on the couch. Trembling and devastated by her corpse, Elena's bottom lip quivered. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to see herself lying there lifeless. Why was this happening? The pain of the truth was too much to handle. Being within only feet of her body made her death all the more worse. She had really died.

The messy emotions of Damon drew her away from the sight of her body and toward him. He stood solid and statue like staring at her body. His jaw was locked and his eyes read every emotion in the book. Now seeing the sight of him made the image of her body seem like nothing. This sight was anything but cheerful.

Elena rushed in front of him and said his name a million times over, but he never acknowledged her. Damon couldn't hear nor see her. She was a ghost. The idea of touching or holding him made it even harder to accept as her hand passed through his frame. Only frustration built within her.

"Oh, Damon." She cooed.

A man of no emotions was being bombarded with humanity. She saw it and recognized the struggle he was going through. He tried so hard to push any feeling away, but she saw him go through the motions of loss. Even in his darkest days, he still was just a man. A man who led his own tragic life only to be given a second chance with her. Even though he wasn't human anymore, he still held all the qualities he once did prior to his vampire days. Elena hated watching him like this.

Streaming down his face, she saw the first tear he cried. He did not wipe it away. She felt the pride he had in shedding the tear and instantly she knew how much he loved her. If she could give anything to hug him or touch him in this moment she would. Just a simple, "I love you", but she wasn't so lucky.

"Damon!" The sound of a voice boomed through the home and Elena spun around to see his brother, Stefan and her dearest friend, Caroline rushing in. Just when she thought the crying would end, she was sent back into a rollercoaster of emotions all over again.

"No, no, no." Her best friend cried as she sobbed and fell next to her body on the couch.

In the beginning, all she thought of was how her death affected her. Now she understood how it was affecting everyone around her. She couldn't take this. She couldn't watch them mourning. The wall built up between this world and theirs needed to be demolished. They needed to know that she was okay.

"Come on, Elena. Wake up." Caroline whispered.

The compassion her friend had for her was something she always loved. Her compassion for anyone was beyond something else. She wished she would tell Caroline how much she loved her and appreciated her, but was being denied the chance and didn't know if she would get one at all considering her state.

"She's not going to wake up. She's dead." Damon voice strained.

Elena glanced over at him. Hearing his voice made her melt, but his tone made her shiver. He was so lost and hopeless. Despite how big his love was for her, he knew the truth. Damon was never one to be blinded by the little things or even hope. He accepted things for what they were and her death was one of them. The response from Caroline showed she wasn't ready to let go.

"She'll wake up." Caroline said confidently staring down at her body. "Elena will wake up."

"Caroline, she's _dead_. Do I need to spell it out for you?" Damon asked irritated.

Tension floated between the two just like it always had. Even in her death Caroline and Damon couldn't agree upon something. She smiled for the briefest moment, but was brought back to the dark sadness lingering around.

"I watched her die in my arms. How much more do you need to hear for you to understand that's she's gone and she's not coming back?" Damon articulated.

Watching his downfall and listening to him confess the guilt he held on to for her death made her wish she could tune out the sound of his voice. It killed her metaphorically to listen to him blame himself, curse the heavens, and scream at Caroline to get it through her thick head that she was dead. Even Elena knew Caroline was being far fetched with her optimism, but she couldn't help love that her best friend still had hope. It was who she was.

She stood next to Damon as he ranted about her death. Elena placed her hand to his back imagining his warmth and the touch of the soft cotton shirt he wore. It pained her not to be able to feel anything physically.

"Are you done?" Caroline snipped.

"No, I'm not done!" Damon pushed his chest out and licked his lips. He rushed up next to her only inches away from her porcelain skin as he shouted. Elena tried to stop him, but knew it was no use. "Elena is dead. How many times do I have to say that before you believe it? Elena's dead. Elena's dead."

"Stop it." She begged of him.

"Do you believe me now? You're best friend is gone." He glorified in her sensitivity.

It made her blood boil watching him act like this. Damon was always one to get the last word. She saw it in Caroline's face that she understood what was being said, but still didn't want to believe it. Elena screamed for all of them to stop fighting. No one heard her. Why should they? She wasn't even really here after all.

"Stop it, Damon! Do you hear yourself right now?" Stefan finally spoke up. He was the voice of reason, as she liked to think.

A mumbled apology came on Damon's behalf, but it didn't relieve the tension in the room. What Stefan said left her on edge and in fear of what she had contemplated before walking along the deserted street.

"There's something you should know." He stated followed by an irate response from Damon. "It's about Elena's accident, from when the car drove through her house. She lost a lot of blood. The doctors said the impact of the crash caused some internal bleeding."

The caution behind Stefan's voice was prominent. Elena peered over at Damon who was beginning to fume. Already worked up from fighting with Caroline's denial, she could see the wheels turning in his head. She could feel his anticipation and fear of the subject.

"She looked fine, beat up, but fine when I got there." Damon stated.

"That was a few hours afterwards, Damon." Caroline interrupted. Her hand touched her cheek and she wished she could feel the contact, but she couldn't. "When I arrived that was her diagnoses."

"What are you trying to say?" He uttered.

In the pit of her stomach, Elena knew what was about to be said. She wasn't ready for this. She was just accepting her death and this other world. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be possible. How did she not know this? Stefan went into detail about that night of the accident. She remembered it well. The lights followed by the crashing and the debris on top of her. It was all too fast and yet when she woke up after it she felt better than she should have. Then and there she should have known what had happened. You don't walk away from something so disastrous with only a few scratches and bruises.

"What did you do?" Damon whispered severely.

"I fed her my blood." Stefan confessed.

The rage inside Damon was beyond boiling point and now she was beginning to lose it as well. There was vampire blood inside of her. It was inside of her when she died. "No." She gasped. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Not now.

"I thought she was dead or dying." Caroline screamed. "I was the one who told him to do it. I didn't trust the doctors to help her, not completely. If you want to scream and blame someone then do it to me. Stefan was only tying to save her and he did."

Fighting unfolded around her. She heard their exchanged words that turned into a screaming match. Elena walked over to her body and stared at it. Was she really ready for this? Did she have a choice? The tingling in her veins proved that she wasn't entirely pure anymore. Something else flowed through her veins now. She was being given a second chance even if it wasn't the right time like she had hoped for.

"She _might _wake up." Stefan's voice brought her back. Might? "From the time of when I fed her my blood and until now, it could have passed through. I don't know if she will or not."

"How long does it take? If it is, when would she wake up?" Caroline urgently questioned.

As they all contemplated her awakening, she knew that in fact Stefan's blood was in her veins. She had felt it all along. In the darkness she floated through prior to waking up on the other side, she felt it then too.

"Maybe an hour, maybe more or less. I don't know." He explained and paced the room. "I'm so sorry, Damon. I just…"

"If she wakes, so be it." Damon hushed them. "But if she doesn't…"

Her heart if it were still beating would have stopped. Why couldn't Damon believe that she was going to wake up? She didn't know when, but she was going to. They would be reunited. The expression on his face was just so pathetic that she fell to the ground and leaned up against the couch watching him.

"Please just go." He asked of Caroline and Stefan.

The departing sobs made her bow her head. Seeing people mourn from this side was something she never wanted to experience again. A part of her wondered if this was what she looked like after she found out her parents had passed. Unlike them, she had the possibility of returning from death. This was all so crazy to comprehend.

Sinking to the floor next to her, Damon rested his head on the cushion that stuck out of the couch. Both their backs were to her body. All she felt on his end was guilt.

"I'm sorry." Damon finally sobbed. "I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough. I'm sorry I didn't feed you _my blood_ instead of his. I'm sorry for ever hurting you. I'm sorry for bringing you into all of this."

"Damon…" She spoke knowing he couldn't hear her.

His last minute apologies were not needed. She wished somehow he could know this. Not one second of their time together did she regret any of it. Sure with the good came the bad, but that was life. She chose it and she chose him. If anything this was her fault for getting mixed up in this crazy supernatural life.

In silence, she sat with him by her side. The tingling in her veins flowed more violently and she could feel her body tugging her back. Not sure of how it worked before, she understood now that by natural force soon her body and soul would be reunited. All of this that she witnessed as a spirit she wondered if she would remember once she awoke from the dead and back into the real world. A part of her wanted to and the other part didn't. She wanted to know that the other side existed without all the memories she just formed though. It was too painful. It was too much.

As she floated her hand above Damon's, she felt his emotions change. It was like they were fading. All the pent up emotions from before were going away. It took her a minute to realize what he was doing.

"No!" She screamed at him. "Don't you dare, Damon."

He was trying to turn off his emotions. He was turning off his humanity, but it was struggle. Without it, she knew he was nasty and someone he didn't want to be. Elena asked him not to do so, but she had no say or chance of actually stopping him from doing it. Then out of nowhere, he was up and he was belligerent. Books and bottles went flying. He was tearing apart the entire living room. It was like a storm with no mercy. She cried for him to stop, but knew he wouldn't. There was only one way for him to stop it all together, for him to believe again and not turn off his humanity.

Elena stood up and towered over her body. She took a deep breath and sat down on the couch before she took a similar position as her other half. The void inside disappeared and she was met with darkness again. This time it was quick and her veins were hot. Aching pain pulsed her mouth and she felt a hunger she never had before. Tossing and turning, she felt something alter in her and any memory of what just happened on the other side was gone. Now all she knew was she was waking up in a state of confusion.

The ceiling of Damon's living room was the first thing she saw. How did she end up here? Rolling over, she saw him trashing everything in sight. She got up and held her head. Everything hurt and she felt starved. Elena watched him as he paused for a moment with his eyes on the couch. She was no longer standing in front of it, but to the side not recalling moving to this spot at all.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Damon was known for a temper, but she had no idea what had set him off this bad. Was it Katherine or Klaus? What had they done now?

A box of matches he held in his hands fell to the ground.

Looking around again from where she stood toward the couch, she shook her head and asked. "How did I get here?" The simple question left him breathless. He was acting odd. "Damon?"

The last thing she could remember was going for a run, but then more memories started to flood her head. Klaus and Katherine were to blame for this. She saw them tonight. They were trying to kill her. It was becoming all so clear as she focused on him. "I thought…" Elena said knowing what had happened and placing her hand to her neck. Two close wounds on her neck indicated that she had been bit like she remembered. A lot of blood was lost. She remembered falling to the ground feeling the life being drawn out of her.

"I thought, I thought I died." She said frightened and wide-eyed knowing something was terribly wrong. The battle against Katherine and Klaus ended in her and Damon's favor with them both being dead. She knew that in the midst of it she had got hurt and bad enough that she shouldn't be standing here. Her breathing was fast and rattled.

"You did." Damon choked out a reply.

Only one explanation could answer why she thought she had died and why she was standing in the middling of Damon's living room. Elena shook her head wanting to deny the answer because this wasn't supposed to happen like this. They were going to wait until she got older. She wasn't ready to change.

"Oh my god." She gasped lifting her eyes to him.

Somehow and some way vampire blood had been in her system when she died. She had died like she thought and now she was awake again, but not as a human. Not because she got to the ER in time. It was because vampire blood had brought her back. _She was in transition._


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Let me start off by apologizing not having this updated on Sunday. Writing up Dead Heart sort of distracted me and took up most of my day. I had plans to update FSI yesterday, but then I got called into work so those are my reasons for why I didn't update when I planned to. Sorry guys. Well here it is now! I know these first two chapters don't really have the FSOS feel, but next chapter definitely will. Lots of ideas came to mind while writing this chapter and now that Elena is a vampire things are going to get HOT! Please leave your review and thanks for reading.**

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CHAPTER 2. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT

The longer she thought about it, the deeper the news sank. She had died. She was dead. She was transitioning. Elena could not fully enjoy being reunited with Damon knowing all of this. As prepared as she thought she had been in the past about this stage in her life she had hoped for one day, nothing compared to the actual moment. This was the real deal. There was no turning back now and even if she did, she knew of the consequences.

Huddled up on the couch where she once laid upon as a corpse and creating the mourning of the two most important people in her life, she shivered. How was any of this possible? When people died, they stayed dead. They didn't rise from their slumber or tempt fate. But here she was tempting fate at the hands of a supernatural being feeding her his blood.

Elena covered her face with both her hands and rocked back and forth curling up into a ball. She had entire control over the situation, but she felt like she was helpless. Her mind raced every which way and the pain clawing at her stomach was unlike any other pain she had before.

"You're hungry." Damon softly spoke and took a seat next to her.

Hunger? This is what it felt like to crave blood? The unusual sensation was nothing like a normal craving. It was magnified and desperate. The best way she could explain this new feeling was a part of survival. Her mouth salivated at the thought of quenching her thirst. Her heart pumped a little faster knowing just the taste would cure her desiccation.

"You need to feed." He told her touching her shoulder. His touch put her frantic state at ease only a little.

"You mean blood." Elena added.

"Yes, that is what we vampires feed on." Damon's tone was lighthearted, but not for long. Trying as hard as he could to be comforting, she knew he was still pretty shaken from what had just happened. It wasn't every day the love of your life dies and comes back to life thanks to vampire blood.

"Did you feed me your blood?" She asked peering over at him.

Damon bowed his head in shame. "No." He answered. "I wish it was."

Before she could ask who had given her blood, he began to explain everything. Damon told her about the fight between Klaus, Katherine, her, and him. The pain in his voice gave indication of how upset he was to know she had died and thought she was never coming back. She heard the equal amount of surprise when he learned, just like she when Stefan told him about her accident and what measures he had gone to in order to save her. Elena shivered thinking about it all.

"I'm so sorry it wasn't me." Damon apologized and held her hand. "It should have been my blood. It should have been me, but I'm glad he fed you his blood. If he hadn't you wouldn't be here..."

"Shh." She stopped him. "All that matters is that I'm here. I'm breathing and I'm alive, sort of."

"You need to feed." He said once more.

His constant reminder of her hunger that was beginning to eat away at her insides and it was not helping. She knew she needed to feed, but it scared her to think about actually doing it. So many possibilities ran through her head about how this moment would go and how she would go about it. In no way was she in her right mind to make any decisions. Elena had to put her faith and trust in him. He knew how this went. He knew what she needed. She was going to leave it up to him on making this decision of her completing her transition.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Elena asked.

His blue eyes sparkled knowing he was finally able to help her in a way that he knew he could. Emotions were never his strong point. In fact, emotions made him weak and vulnerable. She loved how he could let down his walls around her and show her the emotions he so carefully tucked away. However, there was one thing Damon strived in and that was control. Being a vampire it was all he knew and this was his opportunity to use it.

"We have only a few hours before the sun rises." He told her. "We have to go before daylight. After that we'll figure it out from there. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Elena replied.

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Salvatore Corporations was dark and quiet. She had been here before when it was like this, but this time around left her edgy. Damon and her were not here to do business or to even get down to risky business. They were here in hopes of completing her transition.

Catching her reflection in one of the mirrors that hung on the walls, Elena took note of how tired her eyes appeared seeming hollow with dark circles. Her complexion was no longer bursting with color or life. It was dull and gray. The image was horrifying. This didn't compare to an early morning or night after drinking appearance. This was death creeping up on her and fast. She needed to feed, but just the thought of it was still sickening.

Her eyes met the ticking hand on the clock that read five minutes until seven. Anxiety erupted within her at the idea of what Damon had suggested. In five minutes, his first employee would be walking through those doors. She had five minutes until she would smell the first scent of fresh human flowing blood. Then would be her test. Could she really go through with drinking someone's blood? Could she really bite someone? Each breath inhaled became quick.

"You can do this." Damon assured her. "I'll be here the entire time to make sure you don't drink too much. All you need is a taste to complete the transition."

"I don't know…" Elena worried.

"Look at me. Elena, look at me." He ordered her. Obeying his request, she stared into those beautiful blue eyes she fell in love with. "I have no doubt that you can do this. You have to do this…I can't lose you."

The flash of pain in his eyes shriveled her heart. This look was rare for him, but when worn she knew how serious it meant. A man of many emotions only shown when wanted was sure not hiding them at all right now. She had died and awoke again. Whatever he was feeling, Elena could not imagine. For everything he had ever put her through, what she was putting him through right now couldn't compare. This was a life or death situation and as much as she knew and wanted to go through with it, she was terrified. All this time while she thought about reaching this point sounded simple and easy. She would die with vampire blood in her system, wake back up, feed, and begin her eternal life with Damon. But it wasn't that simple. None of this was. It was much more complicated.

"I can't lose you." Damon confessed slipping his hand behind her neck. "Not again. Not like this."

"You won't." She replied touching his cheek.

From the moment she stepped foot in his office every thing had unraveled so quickly between them. The temptation, the lust, the secrets, the pain, the love, every thing had led up to his point. It was the point of no return. A life, even in death without him seemed unbearable. She had full faith in him getting her through this, but she didn't have faith in herself. Extreme horror blinded her vision of the future knowing the task of feeding was standing in her way of ending all this uncertainty.

Click. Click. Click. The sounds of five-inch heels click against the pavement outside the building. Elena looked over Damon's shoulder for the source of the sound. Outside the clear windows she saw nothing. CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. The approaching sound echoed in her eardrums and she cringed. Wincing and closing her eyes, additional noises pierced her hearing loudly.

"You're senses are heightened." He explained. "Elena please try to focus. I know that seems hard right now, but focus."

A tall, thin woman dressed in a long cream pea coat made her way up to the building. Her key scratched at the door and Elena nearly fell to her knees at the sound. A million noises bounced around in her head and she heard Damon, but it was hard to find any focus when every noise was distracting her. Why was all this bothering her now?

The woman, who was the main floor receptionist opened the door and turned to her left pressing the buttons on the security pad. Even the beeping from the buttons made Elena annoyed. She brought her hand to her forehead and held it.

"Focus." Damon demanded.

Giving her best attempt at focusing, Elena tried to eliminate the clutter inside her head. She peered over at the clueless receptionist, who was fumbling with something in her purse. They were standing just off in the shadows of the main floor lobby for her not to see. Wouldn't she be surprised to see her boss and her standing inside already at this hour of the morning? Then the noises dissolved, all but one.

Thump. Thump. Thump. The beating human heart of the woman thudded in her chest. Elena heard it loud and clear, but welcomed this sound as it stimulated her taste buds. Taking in a deep breath, she smelled the warm red liquid flowing through her veins. Something was happening to her as she kept her focus on the woman.

"In a second, she is going to turn on the lights and the rest of the power in here. You have to ignore all the noises and lights." He explained. "Can you do that Elena?"

She nodded her head unsure if she could, but she was going to have to try. Within seconds of Damon's warning, the lights above flickered on and the sound of a running office building came to life. Elena struggled as they tried to break her concentration. She shook as she stood behind Damon watching the woman walk behind her desk and let out a small gasp. It was happening. The plan was in full play now. They were exposed.

"You scared me, Mr. Salvatore." She said with her hand on her chest.

"Elena." Damon cued for her to begin. It was now or never.

With each step she took, she tried to seem intimidating and confident. The woman watched and questioned their presence. She asked what Elena was doing, but she didn't respond nor did Damon. Her eyes fell upon the exposed vein on the woman's neck and she stared at it as she walked toward her behind the desk. The once steady beating heart was now pumping much faster and harder. It excited her and she knew if she did this quick, it would all be over. She would live with Damon immortally for eternity, but then she would be a vampire and she would have to keep doing this in order to stay strong, to survive. Each day she would have to drink someone or something's blood. Elena was well aware the human vein was the most powerful form of food compared to the rest, however, it didn't make her feel any better about this.

"Get away from me!" The woman screamed. "Mr. Salvatore!"

Elena without realizing it had her hands on her shoulders gazing at the perfect pulsing vein. The sweet smell of blood made her starvation only tempt her more to lunge at the woman's neck. She broke her trance for just a second as she saw the pure fear on the woman's face.

"No." Elena exhaled and stumbled back. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can." Damon shouted.

"What the hell is going on? I'm calling the cops." The receptionist threatened.

In a flash, Damon was by her side and holding his receptionists shoulders firmly. His blue eyes enlarged and he spoke in a calming tone. "You're fine. You've been through this before." He compelled her. "Instead of me feeding on you, it will be her."

"Okay." The woman responded dully and tilted her head to the side letting her vein be exposed willingly for her.

"No, Damon. I can't do this. Just give me a blood bag, please." Elena pleaded. "I can't kill someone."

"You're not going to kill anyone." Damon tried to secure the thought into her head. "At least not today."

Elena shook her head. "But I can't bite her. I can't do this." She was on the brink of breaking down. The longer she put this off, the weaker she felt. Desiccation was beginning to speed up and she saw the worry and panic in Damon's face.

Not taking a moment longer to let her wallow in her guilt, Damon took the woman in his arms and sunk his teeth into her neck. A tiny gasp escaped her while her body vibrated from the pain. Pulling away, he wiped his mouth and his appearance could not be mistaken. Two sharp teeth, red eyes, and a distorted face. Would she look like this? Could she ever take sight of herself looking how Damon was? She had accepted him and what he became. She was going to have to do the same for herself if she wanted to survive. Time was running out.

"All you have to do is drink." He told her grabbing her hand. Elena moved closer. "Only a little bit will do the job. It's up to you if you want more."

"More?" She questioned him.

"Only if you want." Damon replied. "I won't let you lose control. Drink."

This was it. This was the defining moment of her saying goodbye to her human life and saying hello to her vampire life. Elena glanced at Damon who nodded his head and she stepped up to the plate. Placing her hands on the woman's shoulders once again, she stared down at her bleeding neck. Now exposed and within sight, Elena trembled. Her lips quivered as she bowed her head lower and lower until she tasted the warm liquid upon them. Without thinking about it, her tongue darted out of her mouth licking up every drop that Damon had left. This was better than anything she had ever devoured. She felt her starvation shrinking and the satisfaction was curing her hunger. Then something happened.

First her face wrinkled around her eyes. Her skin pulled tight making her face rise up. Another mirror in the distance gave her clear sight of what she was becoming, a vampire. No longer wearing her signature brown eyes, they were red as the blood smearing all over the woman's skin. Her teeth were transforming into a weapon as her canine teeth sharpened and she smiled hissing. Elena glimpsed down at the two round wounds and she knew exactly what to do. Sinking her teeth into the receptionist's neck, she sucked and flourished in the taste. Nothing was human about her anymore. She was a full-fledged vampire now.

Only ten seconds passed before she felt Damon yanking her off her source of food. Elena hissed at him for disrupting her, but as she stared back at him all her animal instinct faded. Her face was returning back to normal and she felt her body and mind stabilize.

"You did it." He whispered.

"I did it." She breathed and hugged him. "I want more."

"Soon." Damon responded.

"I understand now. I get it." Elena released him. "I want more."

"Elena, you have to understand that as a new vampire you don't have full control of your cravings or anything really." He informed her. "The want for more blood is natural, but can be deadly. It can be murderous. Trust me, I would know."

She moaned. "I can't help it though. All I can think about it getting more blood now." Her voice sounded urgent and she gripped his biceps. "Please, Damon."

"You're a vampire now. You have to learn how to be one." Damon informed her. "And I'm going to show you how."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Suprise! It was killing me to wait until Sunday to update this story when I've had this chapter just waiting to be posted. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. Please continue to send me your thoughts. It makes me extra happy. Hope everyone had a good Christmas and has a great new year! Crazy to think the next time I will be updating this story it will be 2014. Enjoy the chapter.**

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CHAPTER 3. THE AROUSAL

"Keep your eyes closed." Damon told her letting his hand on her shoulder drop down her back and to her waist. The line of sensual touching he created from his contact made her shiver. Every thing Damon did to her now was amplified. Even flashing his sky blue eyes in her direction created an undeniable urge to be drawn to him. Being a vampire had its perks.

But it had its drawbacks too.

Weeks had passed since her initial feed and her completion of her transition. A new sense of life had filled her. She had never felt more alive, but she never felt so dead, so dependent. As a human skipping a meal meant she was irritable. Skipping a meal as a vampire caused all sorts of trouble and mood swings, something she wasn't accustom to. Despite the satisfaction of tasting the blood of another brought her, Elena couldn't help but feel an extreme wave of guilt every time she did it.

The frustration flowing from Damon's orb was obvious every time after her first taste of human blood from the vein was denied. He wanted her to experience life as a vampire fully. He wanted her to not hesitate to cure her hunger, but she did. The only thing that changed about her was her form. Every thing else still stayed the same. She cared too much. She overthought every thing. She was the magnified version of human Elena, Elena 2.0.

Blood bags had become her friend. It was her only way of feeling less guilty without starving.

Animal blood had been out of the question. The guilt and thought of sinking her teeth into a harmless creature made her wince and want to project bile from her stomach everywhere. It was worse than imagining doing it to a human. Her only explanation for this reasoning was because vampires naturally craved the taste of human blood over an animal. At least that's what she kept telling herself. And so the dilemma of drinking human blood came back to the surface.

A soft whisper in her ear any time an eligible human passed their way or was in a radius they could sense, Damon would offer the idea of grabbing a bite. With her constant refusal he would groan and furrow his brow. He tried not to lash out or complain even though she knew he wanted to. It was his control freak nature. He wanted to help her, but he wanted to control her. Unfortunately, she was stubborn and no matter how hard Damon pushed for her to feed on the human vein again, she wouldn't budge. Elena put her foot down. Although, even in his disappoint of her refusal she swore she caught sight of his smirk creeping upon his face. Ever since they met she had always been a challenge to him and in her newborn days as a vampire she continued to do so.

"You know even though I have my eyes closed, I can hear and smell every thing around us, right?" Elena reminded him she was no longer naïve.

"Can't you just ignore your superpower senses for one minute, Mrs. Salvatore?" He pressed his lips to her ear. The sound of her last name still excited her, yet she missed her maiden name rolling off his tongue when he spoke. "You don't always have to one up me, you know?"

"It's fun though, Mr. Salvatore." She playfully added. "You like the challenge."

"You know me too well." Damon said feeling his lips rise into a smirk. "Okay, you can open them."

Elena opened her eyes adjusting to the bright sun. Her sensitivity to the light was something she was still adjusting too. An embellished silver circle matching her engagement ring and wedding band kept her from frying up in the daylight. A gift from Damon knowing she would need protection from the unfortunate side of being the vampires they were. Already shielded with his personal item, they stood unharmed under the warm sunlight.

Before her now with her vision granted, Elena sighed and shrugged her shoulders at what she saw. She should have known it was one of Damon's attempts to create her into something she wasn't. A part of her hoped for something not pertaining to being a vampire for once, but it was hard to ignore. The murmuring of voices and the smell of mixed booze and fancy appetizers should have indicated where she was. They were just off the main road and standing a few feet back from the driveway leading up an elegant home. Women in beautiful sundresses walked in the grass, while men wore nice shirts and slacks with drinks in their hands. The faint hint of summer kissed skin covering the delicious veins of many.

"Explains the attire you suggested." Elena remarked.

With the insistence of Damon's choice, she too wore a sundress. The straps were thin and the hot pink color popped in the sunlight. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders sweeping with any breeze crossing her path. It was suitable for the occasion, one she did not know she was attending.

"Since you've clearly been locked up in the house, by your choice might I add," Damon spoke stepping in front of her facing away as she gazed at the party. "I thought we get out for a bit. I haven't been able to show off my wife yet."

"And I here I thought you wanted me all to yourself." She said sarcastically.

Spinning around, the intensity and lust written across his face was unmistakable. "I do. You are mine." Damon brushed his thumb on her cheek. "Forever. And you in that dress does things to me, but we'll save that for later."

"Later? How about now?" Elena toyed him tugging on his tie.

"Tempting." He smirked. "But I must delay the offer. You have something to do."

Her feeding on another human most definitely did not have to be done. She showed her disinterest on her face and expressed where her current interest lied. Elena smoothed her hand over his chest taking a step closer to him. As a human he was irresistible, but now he was even more desirable. She caught herself wanting him more than usual, in places she never imagined. Their sex life had expanded. Sex was always good, but now it was even better.

"I'm fine, Damon. I don't need this." She assured him. "I'm functioning off of blood bags just fine."

"Elena, it's not that I want you to feed off humans for the hell of it. I want you to learn how to do so with control." Damon explained. "How are you going to learn if you never try? I don't want you to…"

"You don't want me to become like you. You don't want me to lose control." Elena finished his sentence. He stared at her through hooded eyes. "I don't want to lose control either."

"You understand why this is so important then." He responded.

Releasing a slight groan, Elena moved her hand from his chest to his tie and fixed the knot at the collar of his shirt. Her eyes fluttered upward until she found his blue stare and she sighed. What he wanted for her was not a crime, but she wished he allowed her to go about it on her terms. The battle of his self control and attempts to push them on to others, especially her, was a continuous obstacle.

"Damon."

"Elena." He mocked her tone.

"Why can't you just let me do this my way?" She asked.

"I already told you why." Damon sighed and grabbed her hand. "I didn't have someone to guide me when I turned. I'm only doing this because I wish someone would have helped me."

He had a point. Imagining doing this on her own was terrifying. The thought of being introduced into this lifestyle without him by her side was haunting. She was thankful to have Damon through it all honestly, even if he was a persistent know it all sometimes.

"Lead the way, Mr. Salvatore." Elena forced a smile on her face and slipped her hand under his arm. She wanted to slap his smug smirk off his face from the satisfaction of her caving into his demands, but she resisted.

The struggle to not absorb every sound, smell, and sight before her was still difficult. The closer they got toward the party, the harder it became for her to act normal. Damon's point was spot on. She needed to learn how to have self-control when it came to crowds, but that didn't necessarily mean her hunger. Every bit of laughter and every clinking glass roared in her ears. Perfumes, colognes, and every day scents aroused her nostrils. People's natural movements made her feel like she had a short attention span. It seemed impossible to focus.

"Relax." Damon whispered in her ear as they approaching the refreshment table. "Drink. It will help."

Before she could comprehend most of her surroundings, she had a drink in her hand. She pressed the glass to her lips and let the chilled liquid slide down her throat. It had a kick to it and she knew it was liquor. Damon had explained to her how alcohol helped calm the nerves not only for humans, but had the same effect on vampires. It also curved the appetite. Taking note of this, Elena downed her drink and reached for another.

"Easy." He said in a low tone.

"Vampire or not," Elena whispered next to him. "You know I'm not comfortable with these things. I need this."

She sipped her second drink glancing around at the intoxicated crowd of men and women.

"And I need you to relax." Damon requested. "Breathe. Sip."

A small tray stacked with small sandwiches filled the end of the table and Elena snatched one up shoving it in her mouth. Eating and drinking distracted her, but it didn't shrivel the hunger pain growing inside of her. The heat from the sun warmed the flowing blood in the passing veins. Her stomach growled at the thought of just ending her starvation, her inner desire to feed off her ultimate source.

A gentleman approached Damon shaking his hand and they spoke smoothly about some business nonsense she couldn't comprehend. She heard him speak. She heard her name. A strained smile crept on her face and the nodding of her head showed her participation as they both conversed, but her mind was elsewhere. The thumping of a hundred hearts surrounded her. A pool of blood carefully enclosed in tiny veins moved innocently around her. Elena felt herself breathing faster, her chest puffing at the thought.

"Excuse me, my wife hasn't been feeling well." Damon's voice carried through the noise. "Elena, dear why don't we go sit down. You don't look to good."

Snapping back to reality, his hand on her back guiding her away from the food and drinks and away from the man he had been speaking to, they went toward the house. With most of the guests outside, Elena felt her destruction ease. Only hushed sounds and the smell of food being prepared in a near by kitchen were now her current distraction.

"Elena, calm down." He told her. They had found a small bathroom on the first floor. Damon shut the door behind them as she leaned over the sink.

"This was a bad idea." Elena admitted. "You were right. I don't know what I'm doing. I feel like I'm going to lose it, Damon."

"You need to drink. That's it. Once you do it, you'll feel normal." Damon explained. "You haven't been exposed to these many people before."

All the people around her were potential victims. It was like a tug of war match inside of her wanting to sink her teeth into the next human she saw, but not wanting to at the same time. Her confidence from before had vanished. When she was alone with Damon, talking about her situation seemed conquerable. She didn't fear what was outside of her little bubble until she took a step away from it. Being surrounded by all this temptation was driving her mad and as much as she liked to think she could control herself, she didn't trust her animal instincts either.

"What's wrong with me?" She whined.

Damon grabbed her shoulder and leaned down to be at eye level. "Nothing is wrong with you." He assured her. "This is who you are now. This is what you have to go through with these changes. I never said it would be easy."

"And I never thought it would be either, but this is…" Elena clutched her forehead. "Too much. I can't do this."

"Yes, you can." Damon reached for both her hands. Her attention was forced on him with his blue-eyed stare captivating her. "You can do this. You just need to let yourself do it. You need to accept who you are."

"But what if I don't?" She whimpered.

"You will." He said with such hope. "It may take time. It may take weeks, months, and years. Fuck Elena, it took me decades, but that's because I didn't have someone. You have me. I won't let you fail."

All the doubt currently filling her mind was slowly fading away. How on Earth did she fall in love with such a flawed man only to be guided by him in her most troublesome times? The universe had a funny way of going about things, but she was grateful. Her life had turned and twisted for better and worse, yet she had no regrets. The only place she wanted to be right now was here with him. She could do this. She could overcome all the obstacles coming her way because she had him. Damon wouldn't let her fail, not as long as he could help it.

"Okay." She breathed.

A knock on the door startled her. A man, the same one from before peaked his head in and entered. Elena looked to Damon for an answer, but knew immediately what was happening. During her time of distraught outside, Damon must have compelled the idea for the man to flow them shortly after into the bathroom. It was obvious what his presence meant.

"It's okay." The man spoke rehearsed. "Damon said it's okay."

His fingers fumbled with his tie and loosened it around his neck. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his white shirt and yanked the collar away from the left side of his neck. Exposed and ready, Elena shivered at her temptation.

"Of course, you had it all planned out even while I'm freaking out." Elena murmured.

"Just feed." He insisted giving her a small push.

Her eyes fell upon her prey, the innocent male. Elena gulped thinking about what she was about to endure, what she was about to commit. Her humanity was a nasty bitch always reminding her of the rights and wrongs, of the emotions she held on to. Damon warned her about the confliction she would face and the horrors of what turning it off meant. She wasn't prepared for anything so drastic yet. She couldn't imagine losing the part of her that still resembled normalcy.

Elena's hands went to either shoulder of the man. The scent of his fresh blood just below the surface brought on her transformation. Still hesitant about the whole thing, she glanced over her shoulder at Damon, who nodded for her to continue. Licking her lips, she flashed her two pointy sharp teeth and hovered over the perfect vein of the man. She smelled the sweat and nerves running down his back. No matter what he was told to believe, he still reacted like most prey did under attack. Elena closed her mouth and thought about retreating.

"Drink." Damon's persistent voice urged her and Elena sunk her teeth into the man's neck without a second thought.

Blood. Warm blood passing her lips and down her throat just like before. Elena remembered it all too well and knowing how satisfied and more hungry she became after her first feed. The thought of drinking endlessly becoming high off of every feed persuaded her to continue. This was heaven. This was what she was meant to do. She hated how much she enjoyed it. She hated how good it tasted, but she told herself inwardly to accept that she couldn't go back. It wasn't even an option. She had cheated death once. She couldn't do it again.

"Not too much." His voice echoed in the background. Elena pushed harder down on to the man's neck and he gasped. "Elena…"

She wanted to keep going. She wanted to suck him dry, but something in the back of her mind told her not too. It was her instinct to drink every last drop. However, that meant something horrible and Elena knew she was better than that. She could do this. She was capable of controlling herself. All she had to do was convince her why.

The things she was known for now and what she did was sinful. She was monster, but she was also part of this world and she needed to survive in it. Elena knew she wouldn't be able to fight every urge or resist every instinct, but she could at least try. Murder never left her thoughts. One day it would happen and she hoped it would be for all the right reasons and not one because she merely couldn't help herself.

"Elena."

A balance was what she needed and she knew if Damon could do it, so could she.

Removing her fangs from his bloody neck, Elena breathed focusing not on craving more blood, but on her. She was better than this. She was strong and confident. She could be a vampire, but also still feel human and remorse at the same time. Slipping wasn't an option. It was not allowed.

"See I can have control." Elena spoke holding on to her victim's body. The blood dripped from her mouth and to the shirt of the man. "I'm in control."

Wiping the blood from her mouth, Elena blossomed with life. Her body tingled like she was high on some drug.

Glancing over her shoulder, Damon devilishly smirked and looked her up and down. She knew without him saying anything what he had on his mind. The sight of her feeding turned him on and she could see the material of his pants constricting his problem.

"Like what you see, Mr. Salvatore." She cooed.

"You already know the answer to that." Damon replied.

Strength and confidence erupted from her and she turned back to look at the man. His hand was to his neck and he looked as if he were about to pass out. Elena held him straight and stared at him hard letting her eyes pulse with persuasion.

"You won't remember any of this." Elena compelled him. "You drank too much and you fell in the surrounding woods. Now go clean up and forget any of this happened."

Without a word, he nodded in agreement and was out the door. Elena shut it behind him locking it and spinning around to face Damon. He was already inches away from her body.

"Bravo, Mrs. Salvatore." Damon lowered his voice. "I must say I am impressed. You handled that better than expected."

"I learned from the best." She replied and grabbed his hand. Her fingers tickled his wrist and pushed back the material of his shirt to expose a vein. "I'm curious."

"About what?" He asked.

"Does feeding off another vampire do the same trick? Does it kill the hunger?" Elena's curiosity soared.

His free hand roamed down her side and she kissed his wrist.

"It does." Damon answered her. "But it's more of sharing than feeding."

"Sharing?" Elena raised her eyebrow and examined his vein.

"Blood sharing. It's not uncommon for vampires to do, but only done by those who feel personal enough to share it." He told her letting his hand slip under her dress. "Mmm, this dress."

"I want to try." She breathed on his skin. His hand clawing higher and higher up her thigh.

Pulling his wrist away from her grasp, he brought it to his mouth and bit. His blood oozed out of the tiny punctures and displayed it for her to see. "Then try it." Damon asserted. "But quit stalling. You know what I want."

Elena brought his wrist to her mouth and closed her eyes slowly tasting him. It was different, but it was blood. His scent drove her wild and she sucked harder on his wrist. Their bodies collided together and his fingers dug into her waist tugging on the thin material of her underwear. Something was happening. Not only was her hunger diminishing more, but also a new arousal was building up. A connection she never knew she had with him was forming and suddenly she couldn't control herself.

Her mouth released his wrist and she growled with lust pouncing on him like a crazed schoolgirl. Damon tore her underwear from under her dress and disposed of it on the ground. He picked her up in one swift motion and she was on the counter of the bathroom spreading her legs. His mouth nipped, licked, and kissed her neck, shoulder, chest, and any part of her he felt was necessary. Elena moaned as Damon's hand fondled her beneath her dress and she reached to touch him through his pants.

No words were exchanged, only heated passion. Every thing was so quick now as they both sped up the process of undressing one another from head to toe. Their clothes went everywhere and Elena noticed the bite mark on his wrist had faded. His vampire blood healed the wound and she was amazed.

His head dipped between the valley of her breasts pushing his erection inside of her. She threw her head back and bit her lower lip hard drawing blood. Damon's mouth instantly attached to hers and sucked on it. The sucking turned into messy kisses and her body pulsed as he thrust inside of her. Whether their hot sex could be heard beyond the bathroom door, Elena didn't care. She would compel every single person at this party to forget what they heard. All she could focus on now was Damon. He was dripping in sex glaring at her like he was ready to dominant her world and he was. Elena held her body up with one hand gripping the counter and other pulling on his neck. She could do this all day with him. Her stamina was better than before and she knew the capabilities of what they could endure repeatedly.

Suddenly, his motions became quicker and sloppy. She knew what was about to happen and she clenched around him. Her world was spinning out of control and in a good way as she peaked so high, she bit her lower lip again muffling her moans and tasting her blood from her damaged lip. Damon leaned his head on her shoulder and jerked losing himself inside of her. Their sweaty bodies stayed like this for a minute before Damon once again licked up her blood and smirked liking the taste of her.

"Who knew feeding and sharing could turn me on so much?" Elena exhaled.

"The many perks of being who we are." Damon kissed her. "Get dressed."

"Demanding are we?" She slid off the counter picking up her dress and frowning at the torn underwear.

His hand ran down her bare back and playfully touched her ass.

"You succeeded, Mrs. Salvatore." He replied. "I think you deserve some rewarding."

"Wasn't _that _rewarding enough?" Elena stood up and leaned back into his chest with her dress in her hands.

"It was." Damon agreed. "But I want more. Meet me in the woods in ten minutes."

He kissed her shoulder.

"What? You want to rip my dress to shreds too?" She laughed.

Damon breathed next to her ear and whispered, "Exactly."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This is a short, but sweet filler chapter. Get ready for the usual intensity that the FSOS series has had in the past. The last bit is definitely my favorite and a plot twist. Enjoy the chapter and please review! I've missed reading what you guys think about the series and this story. **

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CHAPTER 4. WHAT LURKS AROUND THE CORNER

"Caroline," Elena started watching her friend fan her face with her hand. "You know you can take that ridiculous scarf off if you're hot."

The temperature was falling, but not quick enough. The setting sun going below the horizon in the west emanated heat. It was a beautiful day and she couldn't have imagined a more perfect way to spend it then with her best friend.

Since her first days of transformation, Elena had overcome many months living with her new traits. She had learned how to hunt without becoming a killer or causing a massacre. She had grown into her newly heightened senses and developed a taste for the human vein leaving her blood bag days behind. She had cooped with the idea she would never be normal again and embraced her vampirism knowing it was a permanent part of her for eternity. For the most part, Elena had things under control. All thanks to Damon of course.

Just out of sight, but not out of earshot, Elena could hear Damon and his brother, Stefan conversing over glasses of bourbon. She tried not to eavesdrop, but couldn't help it. Why ignore such a useful ability was what she thought.

"I know." Caroline replied tugging on the thin material around her neck.

"Care, I told you I'm not going to hurt you." She assured her wary best friend. "So please take it off, before I compel you to."

With her nose up high in the air, Caroline reluctantly pulled the scarf from her neck and raised the glass of ice water to her skin. She sighed with relief and peered over at her. "I see you're more feisty nowadays." Caroline remarked. "But you're vampire tricks won't work on me. See this," she held up her wrist with a shiny bracelet around it. "It protects me."

"As it should." Elena responded.

"You wouldn't actually compel me anyway, right?" She asked seeming worried.

Elena rolled her eyes. "No." She answered. "I wouldn't."

Even though Caroline had her fair share of vampire stuff with Stefan, she knew the unease of her best friend becoming one was new. Now surrounded by the not so human, Caroline was the last bit of human life she knew except Matt. Her mind instantly trailed off wondering about him. She had neglected their friendship ever since her engagement. Damon consumed the life she led now. She knew she needed to change that.

This was her first interaction with her and she knew it would be a bit awkward. It wasn't every day your friend turned into a vampire or married one.

"So how many people have you bit lately?" Caroline asked sipping her drink.

In the midst of cooling off with her cold drink, she sprayed the contents of it into the air. "What?" Elena exclaimed. Wiping her mouth, she spoke, "Seriously?!"

"I'm sorry." She whined. "I just…I just said what came to mind."

"We can talk about clothes, celebrity gossip, or our sex lives." Elena rambled. "Do you even seriously want to know what you just asked?"

"No." Caroline replied in a small voice. "Ugh, it's just…"

"I'm different." She sighed. "I know, but I'm still me. The only thing that's different is my food intake."

"That's not the only thing."

A tiny smirk was upon Caroline's face. The one she had missed. For most of her life, she was the only other person by her side. Sure she had acquaintances and flings, but no one she ever fully put her trust in completely like she did with Caroline. She knew one day that would all change when either of them found themselves falling in love, however, she never imagined it being so soon.

"You're confident." Caroline added. "You're glowing. Elena, I've never seen you more alive."

The truth was she did feel all these things, but it never occurred to her how others would perceive her now. Her transition had brought on some setbacks along with the advantages. The old Elena was shy and small. The new Elena was bold and poised. With no explanation for why such changes had taken place, she wasn't complaining. She fully accepted the confidence she had sprouted. It was a nice attribute to obtain.

"Really?" Elena asked.

"I've never seen you smile or laugh this much in a long time." She continued to compliment her aspects. "And I know being what you are isn't always wonderful, but I much rather have my best friend sitting next to me than dead."

And it took a morbid turn. Caroline's eyes glassed over showing her emotion of the situation. Only a few months prior she was on the verge of never returning to this life. Elena gazed around the grassy yard and down to the small pond below at the bottom of the hill. Her eyes flickered back to the two-story white home rising above them. It all seemed so serene, but the place still made her shiver. Just beyond where Caroline sat was where she took her final breath. The place where Klaus drank her blood and died, where Katherine's heart was ripped from her chest thanks to Damon. It all seemed so far away, yet so close. Reminding herself that memory was in the past from another life, she tried to move on. She couldn't mourn it forever, but she would never forget.

"Hey." Caroline reached over to touch her arm. "I didn't mean…"

"It's fine." Elena shook her head. "You're right. I rather be here with you, Damon, and everyone else than dead too."

_Crunch_. Elena heard a noise somewhere in the nearby woods that surround their beautiful home. Her instincts told her it was animal passing or grazing, but her memories served her otherwise. She could still imagine a wild and crazed Klaus emerging from the woods lusting for blood. Another shiver was sent down her spine and she tried to push the memory away.

"Elena?" Her tiny voice spoke her name.

"Elena." Another voice called from behind them.

Snapping out of her dark reminiscence, she glanced from Caroline to the moving figure approaching her fast. Tall, scruffy, and the hint of fresh booze on his breath, she smiled from ear to ear.

"Alaric!" She beamed and stood up. The sun hat occupying her head bounced as she threw her arms around him.

A wave of guilt hit her as she wrapped her arms around him tight. Too much time had passed since she had last seen him and she knew how wrong that was. Alaric had been there for her during times of need and yet since she had transition he had been distant. Something told her it was both their doings. He had made it clear for his dislike for more than two vampires inhabiting the town. The thought of her becoming like Damon didn't settle nicely for him either. She wondered what he was thinking now as she embraced like any normal human would.

Her body pressed close to his and she felt the underlying outline of a wooden stake. An immediate jolt disconnected them. She felt a wall being built.

"Don't worry. I didn't come here to stake you." Alaric assured her worry. "Even though you and I need to talk."

"Ric, I'm so sorry. I know I should have come to you sooner and tell you…" Elena began, but the palm of his hand was raised into the air and she knew to stop.

"I've already talked to Damon about it." He said. "And I guess this town can sacrifice having one more vampire in it, but no more. Don't get any crazy ideas."

In her mind, she never wanted to see another vampire enter this town either. It caused too many problems before. The likelihood of more vampires venturing into the town wasn't likely, but possible. Damon had informed her to always stay on her toes and never to let her guard down. Anything was possible and she fully believed that. Not long ago she lived in a world she thought was innocent. Now she knew better.

If you open your eyes, a whole other world lies before you. You just have to let it in whole heartedly.

"How are you doing?" Alaric inquired.

"Good." Elena replied.

Her answer could have been more detailed, but she knew she didn't need to share every aspect of how she felt with him. She saw the tiny ounce of displeasure in his presence. What Alaric saw was Elena, the girl who fell in love with a vampire stupidly. He saw a friend. However, he saw more than just the exterior. Never noticing it until now, she wondered if he reacted the same way when he was around Damon.

"Well, I'm going to go join the guys back inside." He mentioned. "It's too hot out here and…"

"The alcohol is inside. I get it." Elena smirked. "We will be in shortly."

"And you and I will have our chat." Alaric winked.

With a brisk motion, he moved his way back inside the cool house. Elena was bothered by the idea he kept their greeting and conversation short due to her new form. She didn't blame him though. Alaric was a hunter. It was in his nature to want to feel hatred and dislike toward a vampire even if he befriend them. She saw the bickering between him and Damon many times to know it was still there despite their friendship.

"That was awkward." Caroline remarked sitting back down.

"Tell me about it." She sighed and sat back down joining her. "Please lets talk about anything, but vampires."

With her back straight, Caroline's blonde hair bounced around her shoulders as she stared at the house. "Well I still can't believe you guys got it built in the time that you did." She stated. "What did you guys hire those people who help build those houses on the makeover shows?"

"No, just a generous payment and a little persuasion." Elena told her.

Not much time had passed since her death and her awakening. The ground had barely been touched and yet months later stood a beautiful two-story mansion like house. With her new life, Damon insisted they start fresh and so the need for their dream home had been constructed instantly.

"And we are talking about vampires again." She gritted her teeth.

"Sorry," Caroline apologized. "It's hard to avoid."

"I know. I guess I should just get use to it by now." Elena said shrugging her shoulders.

It was inevitable most conversations would lead to talking about non-human things. It was who she was now and she couldn't escape. Every part of her was different, even if she still felt the same as she did before death.

"I don't think I'll ever get use to it." Caroline chimed. "But it is what it is. I mean it's not every day you sign your best friend's deed to her house just so she can live in it without intruders."

The smug grin upon Caroline's face was worn proudly. She loved the fact that she still had some power despite being surrounded by vampires. In hopes of keeping out other vampires or threats, Damon and her had discussed having someone sign the deed of the house in their name that was still living. Only two people came to mind: Caroline and Alaric. Seeing as Caroline was a faster resource to get to then Ric, she signed the deed without hesitation. Of course, it didn't go without some her having some fun in the matter. Elena knew she would be happy to invite her in, but Damon was another story. She tried to subdue her giggles as Caroline tortured him while he waited on the other side of the entryway. The pissed expression was a sight to see and she knew he found the situation to be in no way humorous.

"No it's not." Elena laughed.

The sun continued to set in the west. As time passed, she grew more at ease being around Caroline knowing she had nothing to hide from her. She could not imagine going through any of this without her knowing everything. At one point she was wary about sharing the details with her, now it was all in the past.

Forgetting all the struggles she still endured, things were looking up. For once she felt satisfied and happy without worry. Nothing stood in her way of being with Damon. Their two threats had been eliminated and now all they had to focus on was spending the rest of eternity together.

* * *

In the distance, just off the property of their newly built home something lurked. Keen to staying out of sight and not making too many alluring sounds, it watched as two girls laughed and talked in the final hours of daylight. Countless hours had been spent waiting for the opportune moment to finally begin the final stage of war. Only a few more and the timing would be perfect.

Something cracked a branch in the distance, two yards to be exact. Looking over the shoulder, only a faint silhouette of a deer rustled in the woods. A shallow exhale of breath came and the watch continued.

Its attention grew more profound as movement took place. A brunette girl stood taking off her sun hat and smiling beautifully, which made its blood curdle. She didn't deserve to smile like that nor did she deserve to be walking. Every sense said to act, but remained hided knowing not yet. Another girl rose from her chair and she stretched. The fading sunlight reflected off her naturally blonde hair and she too beamed with happiness. They both walked together laughing toward the house and soon disappeared. Shadows formed over the lawn and it indicated safety had arrived.

Walking effortlessly closer to the two-story home, a light turned on downstairs drawing more attention to be had. Five individuals could be seen. The two girls sat down while two men stood by a bar. Tensions rose in every muscle and it became harder to not pounce, but a calming reminder of how this plan needed to come eased the idea of reacting aimlessly.

"Cheers!" The blonde shrieked. "To Elena and Damon's beautiful new home."

The man, Damon walked toward the girl, Elena and put his arm around her waist. They clinked their glasses together and kissed. Bile rose from the stomach and the sight of their affection stirred the pot faster. A few more hours, only a few until it would begin. It would be the downfall of Elena and Damon Salvatore.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Whoops, this update is a day late. My bad. Work literally consumed me last week and Sunday was my first full day off so writing was the last thing on my mind. However, today was a different story. Let the intensity, drama, suspense, and games begin with this chapter. Still unsure how many chapters FSI will be. I'm sort of just writing as I go with this story and having very little prior planning. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Hopefully you guys are thrilled and left on the edge of your seat with this post. The reviews from the last chapter were AMAZING! I loved reading your thoughts, comments, theories, etc. Keep them coming for this one too. And if you are on Twitter you better be following at FSOSfansite and MystFallsFanfic.**

* * *

CHAPTER 5. THE HUNT

Awake and alert Elena bolted straight up from her slumber. The clock on her nightstand read 4:44 a.m. and every hair on her body was standing up. Her senses rose to the occasion feeling as if something had startled her from her peaceful sleep.

To her right, a resting Damon laid motionless while her muscles urged her to move. Something had caused this sudden alertness and she couldn't explain why. The only thing she did know was she had a gut feeling it wasn't anything good. This wasn't a normal wake up the middle of the night from a bad dream. This was her internal monster warning her she needed to be up and ready to stalk.

Being as quiet as possible, Elena swung her legs over the bed and stepped onto the new hardwood floor. She found a robe on the bench seat at the end of the bed and covered herself. It was strange being in a new home she could call her own. Not spending many nights in the two-story like mansion her and Damon resided in, she was still apprehensive about her location. She wasn't familiar with every room and lurking around in the dark wasn't keen. However, something was drawing her out of the bedroom and so she followed her instinct.

Every sense, even her sixth one also known as being a vampire was on high alert. She listened carefully, crept effortlessly, and observed intensely. What was causing this hypersensitive overdrive?

Tip toe. Tip toe. The guest bedroom where Caroline and Stefan were staying for the weekend was open slightly. A part of her wondered if her reason for being up was because she heard one of them stir, but she knew that wasn't the case. It was most definitely something else, something not good.

On downward using the staircase, she saw the light from the moon shine through the windows. Even in the dim setting the house was exquisite though. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung above twinkling with any ounce of light bouncing off it. Expensive sofas and furniture occupied the rooms. Never in a million years would she have dreamt of living the life of luxury nor did she imagine ending up with a man like Damon. It was funny how the universe worked.

Keeping her investigation going, she stepped down on to the main floor and followed the length of the hallway and into the kitchen. As she got closer she tensed. She was in lock and load mode. Elena was ready for anything and her instincts were telling her something was lurking. Her old self would have told her to get the phone ready in one hand to call the police with a knife in the other. Now, however, the only weapon she needed was she, a killing machine prepared to fire.

A voice from behind low and curious struck a cord as it spoke, "What are you doing?"

Elena spun around quickly nearly having a heart attack. A loud gasp escaped her as she leaned forward then backwards realizing how foolish she seemed. Someone was lurking all right and it wasn't an unknown force. It was Damon dressed in only his pajama pants.

"Jesus Christ, you scared me." She exhaled.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He asked once again. "It's almost five in the morning."

Her half human/half vampire heart pumped rapidly in her chest. Every sense in her body had been alarmed from Damon sneaking up on her. He must have heard her leave creating his own curiosity of the matter taking place. She breathed deeply letting her heart rate steady.

"I thought I heard something." Elena replied. Her hand swiped at him. "Don't scare me like that."

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't lurking around the house at this time of night." Damon countered. "And I honestly didn't mean to scare you. I thought you would have figured I was behind you before," he imitated her frightened reaction. "That happened."

"I did hear you, but I didn't know it was you." She explained. "All I know is I woke up because something woke me up. I don't know what it is, but its something."

Damon reached out and rubbed the smooth fabric of the robe covering her arm. His blue eyes illuminated in the night. She found ease and comfort looking into them, but whatever had her on edge from before still lingered. Damon was simply a distraction from what she was really bothering her.

"You're not use to your vampire senses yet. They can be tricky at first if you don't know how to control them." He assured her. "Just come back to bed. I'm sure it was nothing."

"No," she shook her head. "Something woke me up out of my sleep, Damon. It wasn't just nothing, it was something." Elena said convinced. "And anyways I'm more in control of my vampire senses and every thing else than you keep thinking. I'm fine. I know what I'm doing."

Being a newborn vampire came with the territory for worry especially with Damon, but months had passed and she had grown. She had learned from the best and she was accepting of who she was. It bothered her to think he was still condescending sometimes toward her just because she was new to this. Sure she didn't want to admit she was still wary herself about some things, but for the most part she had both feet on the ground.

"Okay." Damon replied seeming to understand her frustration toward his remark.

"Something is just not right." Elena confessed. "I can feel it."

"What do you feel?" He asked.

What did she feel? It was a reasonable question. She looked pass him trying to figure out what could have caused her to awake so violently. What had she heard? What could make her feel so on edge in the middle of the night making her wander the house aimlessly looking for an answer?

A small, cold breeze touched her bare legs and she glanced over her shoulder. It was coming from the kitchen and she knew if she felt it, so did Damon. They both walked carefully toward the source of the cool air and searched. Elena ran her hand along the threshold of the patio door and her hand froze next to the knob. She pushed on it enough to hear the door lock back into place.

"Damon? Did you leave the door open?" She questioned.

"No. I made sure everything was locked up before bed." He answered examining the doorway. "Unless Caroline or Stefan opened it."

"Why would either of them open the door in the middle of the night?" Elena tried to understand

"Just like, why are you walking around the house right now. They must have heard something." Damon implied. "But what, is the question?"

Opening the door, he let a blast of cool air hit the both of them. Elena shivered. A waft of different scents splashed her face and she recognized the calming smell of Caroline's perfume. She sighed and shut the door again making sure to lock it.

"It's Caroline. She must have got up and forgot to lock it behind her." Elena told him. "I don't know why she would have opened the door or gone outside, but she did."

"And you were worried." He teased.

She pulled the robe close to her body. "Come on. Let's just go back to bed." Elena yawned and walked back toward the staircase. "I'm sorry for waking you up with my nonsense."

"The only person who owes me an apology is blondie. She should know better." Damon groaned.

They made their way up the stairs and her eyes fell on the slightly cracked door of the room her friend and his brother were sleeping in. Damon walked over toward the guest room and peaked his head in. She complained in a hush voice to not invade their privacy fearing he would see either of them in the nude. They had already unfortunately tuned in to their hour of non-stop lovemaking that had scarred them both. He waved his hand at her, which was followed by his the door being opened all the way instead of being closed.

In the shadows, she saw the bed from the hallway. Damon had good reason for invading this much at this time of night. She saw his figure dash at lightning speed toward the bed and the nightstand table lamp flickered on. Within seconds she too was at the bedside confused.

The bed was empty. No Caroline. No Stefan. Unless they were off doing something secretive, Elena knew their disappearance wasn't good.

Before they all departed to their rightful rooms for the night, they had spoke of saying goodbye in the morning before they left to go back to Elena's old home. Caroline still lived there and with her no longer living with her, Stefan had gradually moved in looking after her best friend in spite of recent events. The Salvatore home, Damon's original inhabitance was now empty, but still a part of his life. Their new home off the beaten path was where they found security and serenity. A fresh new start for their life together.

"Where could they be?" Elena asked swirling around.

"Are you sure you just sensed Caroline downstairs?" Damon inquired. "Because clearly Stefan isn't here either."

With a thought coming to mind, Elena rushed out the room and into the bathroom across the hall. She looked out the window and down at the circle driveway where Stefan's car was still parked. "His car is still here." She shouted. _Oh shit, this didn't look good, _she thought.

Beating her to it, Damon was down the stairs and to the back door leading to the patio. She rushed behind him and stood in the cold night that was turning early morning.

"I told you it was something." She said scanning the back yard, the surrounding woods, and the pond a few yards away.

"You were right." Damon hissed. "No time to defy me in that thin robe of yours though. We have a problem."

Elena glanced down to see the robe clinging close to her body leaving nothing to the imagination. Damon's eyes twinkled with lust, but they turned away as he became worried and predator like. She too lost her moment of allure as she wondered where they could have gone. Something told her it wasn't willingly.

"Put some clothes on. We're going hunting." He remarked and marched past her into the house.

* * *

The branches and leaves crunched under her feet. In the east, dawn was upon them and as more time passed only more panic began to set in. From the patio to the edge of the woods, Elena knew they would find themselves trekking through the tall trees following Caroline's scent.

"Are you still tracking her?" He asked.

"I'm trying." Elena responded. "But it's difficult."

"Just focus." Damon reminded her for the fifth time. "I'm starting to pick up on Stefan's. He went this way."

"I am focused!" She moaned. "Can you stop treating me like I'm a child? I'm not. I'm you're wife."

His pace halted. Her little outburst caused him to turn around peering his eyes at her. For the longest time she tried to keep her cool about him still holding her hand through all this, but now she was annoyed on top of worried. Elena drew in a long, deep breath before speaking again.

"You have to stop doing that." Elena insisted.

Damon furrowed his brow. "Doing what?" He seemed unsure.

"Telling me what do to, how to feel, do this, feel that." She rambled. "I get that I'm new to this, but I becoming a vampire didn't happen yesterday. It's been months now, Damon. Months. Please, I know it's hard for you to not to want to control everything…"

"I don't want to control everything." Damon denied her remark and cutting her off.

"Says the man who on the very first day I met him talked about wanting and liking control." Elena placed her hands on her hips. "You do it even when you think you're not doing it."

The topic was addressed more than it should have been, but the reality of the situation was Damon was obsessed with control. No matter the obstacles he had overcome personally and with her, control was always his passion. For the most part, she had become fine with his constant need for it knowing it was an essential part of who he was; however, lately it had been nagging her.

"Damon, I love you." She sighed. "But you have to trust me. You have to let me learn."

"I do trust you." He walked over to her. "Please forgive me and my shitty way of showing it."

Elena rolled her eyes and smirked.

"You are by far the fastest learner I know and you have proven you have adjusted well." Damon confessed. "I just can't help myself, but I'll try to."

"Thank you." She replied. "Now let's stop wasting time. We need to find Caroline and Stefan."

Getting back on track, they continued to follow the trail. They were drawing farther and father away from their home and closer to town. Wherever this path would end, Elena had a strange feeling it wasn't going to be good. A gut feeling kept telling her something lured Caroline out of their home and into the dark of the night. She shuddered at the thought.

Finally as the scent trail veered off, her heart rated picked up. Far, far away from home, she contemplated how her friend had got this far and this fast. Her only explanation scared her, but she tried to stay positive. The sun was just peaking over the horizon as they entered the town.

"How on Earth did she get all the way out here without a car?" Elena asked.

"Do you really want the answer to that?" Damon rhetorically replied. His mind was entering the same dark place as hers.

The only theory she kept wrapping her mind around was someone had taken Caroline and this someone wasn't quite human. It would explain how she traveled this far and further in the time she did. For any normal human, walking through the woods on foot would have only got them about half way. Elena began to internally beat herself up for not waking up sooner to prevent any of this from happening. She was confirming the morbid idea that her best friend had been kidnapped.

"Damn it!" He cursed. "Stefan still isn't answering his phone."

"Seeing as Caroline's phone was on the nightstand, I doubt we can even try to reach her." Elena moaned. "What is going on? What if…"

"I'll try again." Damon interrupted her outward thought.

Elena ran her hand through her hair. "Damon." She said his name strongly. "This can't be happening again. Can it?"

"Elena, we will find them." He dropped his phone into his pocket and grabbed her shoulders. "I promise."

Katherine was dead. Klaus was dead. Who could possibly have something against them that they didn't know about or suspect? From the last time she checked, they had eliminated their main threats and were moving forward. Now she felt like they were moving ten steps back. The whole situation seemed all too familiar.

"I just feel like something bad is about to happen." Her voice dropped.

"Nothing bad is going to happen. Not to you, me, Caroline, or my brother." Damon attempted to convince her. "Come on. They went this way. The scent is getting stronger."

Continuing on, a million thoughts danced in her head of what could be going on or what they would find. Her positive persuasion was being denied. All she saw were the negatives. The closer they got, the more sure she was about her bad feeling. Why hadn't Stefan awaken them about Caroline running off or being kidnapped in the middle of the night? He was her protector, but she was also her best friend. Having three vampires on her trail sounded more plausible than just one. She wished she would have known before it was too late.

"I know you're going to hate me for saying this," Damon interjected. "But you need to stay focused. If we are about to walk into something fucked up, I need you alert and ready."

She nodded her head in response and raised her chin. He was right. She was too busy worrying about her emotions as usual. They were always getting in the way and pushing those away was hard.

Turning the corner, she saw the marble sign and tall building she once was employed at. Once upon a time she was in charge of too. It went from Mikaelson Publishing and Co. to Gilbert Publishing and Co. and back to Mikaelson Publishing and Co. in a matter of months. The memories from there were sour and she cringed knowing the place had caused more bad than good. Trying not to be distracted by it, they pushed on, but were stopped as the trail ended.

"It ends here." Damon announced.

Elena bit her lower lip and turned to gaze at the building knowing it was their answer, even if she hoped it wouldn't be. The trail did not continue. This was where Caroline had ended up at and possibly Stefan. She felt Damon brush against her shoulder and felt his vibe of uncertainty too.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this and it ends with Mikaelson?" He groaned.

"Klaus is dead." Elena exclaimed following him closely as he marched up to the front doors. He yanked hard on the secured entrance and the door popped open. "Damon?! What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm breaking and entering." Damon whispered. "Come on."

"Did you hear me? Klaus is dead." She repeated.

Everything was the same on the inside. Déjà vu and flashbacks swarmed her feeling the floor beneath her feet. At first upon entering as an intern, she was hopeful it would lead her in the right direction. Instead it only led her to a vengeful boss, who had a wandering eye for her. The rest was history. She hated to think she ever worked for such an establishment and the fact Damon had recommended it. However, how was he suppose to know Klaus Mikaelson had been plotting his destruction and his transformation from human to vampire simply because he wanted the life Damon already had. It was so messed up then and still was.

"Yes, he is." He moved toward the elevators and mimicked the traits of an animal sniffing for its prey. "This way."

A door to the right of the elevators read, STAIRS and he pushed it open appearing wild with thought.

"So what are you implying then?" Elena asked.

Their footsteps should have been loud, but they made their way effortlessly without much sound. Being a vampire made sneaking around quite easy. Elena shadowed close behind Damon letting him take control of the situation seeing as her mind could not stay focused on one thing for long.

"Damon?" She questioned him again seeing as he wasn't answering her.

They traveled down two flights of stairs and found them facing a large door reading, BASEMENT. For some reason she half expected to go up, but whatever Damon was sensing had led them downward instead.

"Damon…"

"Shh." He held his hand up to prevent her from saying anything else.

For the first time since they entered, she forced all tangent thoughts aside and focused on the present. Elena inhaled finding the perfume Caroline wore to be lingering and strong. Not to mention the faint smell of blood. All the hairs on her arms rose and she straightened her back. Attack mode had been activated and she kept close to Damon pressing her body next to his. He rose his foot in the air and pounded it at the metal door with all his might. It smashed open echoing and hoping the on staff security wouldn't hear. However, if what she knew lied on the other side of the door, the least of their worries was a little human with a badge.

"Caroline!" Elena shouted.

At the end of the basement, she saw her friend lying on the ground eyes closed, limp, and blood oozing out her neck. She rushed over and bent down listening for any sign of life.

"She's still breathing." She informed Damon. "But barely though."

Blood. Hours before Caroline was uncomfortable exposing her precious vein with her old friend turned new vampire around. It seemed silly then, but she also had been well fed prior. Now her hunger tore at her stomach. It was there on the floor and smeared on her clothes and skin. She wanted it bad, but it was her best friend for crying out loud. In no way was that acceptable even if she was unconscious.

"Elena! Look out!" Damon screamed.

The last thing she saw was flawless pale skin and blonde hair before her head was being smashed on to the concrete ground.


End file.
